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Scientific research suggesting certain chemicals are dangerous should be taken with a grain of salt and carefully vetted, warns Geoffrey Kabat. "[T]he public needs to realize that much that is published in scientific journals, and even in reputable journals, can be of astonishingly poor quality and is of absolutely no relevance to non-researchers," he writes.

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Almost 80% of U.S. scientists say media coverage of research is inadequate detrimental to the scientific community, according to the Pew Research Center. "News reports don't distinguish between well-founded and not well-founded scientific findings," study participants said.

Some of the pressure on cleaning manufacturers is easing as consumers begin to resume luxury spending, according to the 2013 Cleaning Industry Insights Survey from P&G Professional. Companies have also done well at curbing costs and deploying more efficient practices. In 2013, 78% of respondents said the best way to boost their bottom line was to increase efficiency, while 15% said increasing prices would help.

The bipartisan Chemical Safety Improvement Act provides "a real opportunity" to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act and "make federal chemical regulation more effective," writes Steve Owens, former Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "Some have criticized the CSIA because it would preempt various state efforts. But the simple fact is that TSCA was supposed to do the same thing -- the only reason the existing preemption language hasn't had more of an effect is that EPA has been unable to take meaningful action on chemicals," he writes. Owens notes that CSIA would allow EPA waivers for certain state rules, and the bill's sponsors are working to address other pre-emption-related concerns.

Dow Chemical doesn't have to pay an EU-imposed tariff on imports of ethanolamines from the U.S., the EU General Court ruled on Tuesday. The EU miscalculated the danger of U.S. oversupply that would lead companies to sell the chemical below cost, the court said. The tariff reportedly may be allowed to lapse.

The American Cleaning Institute is criticizing efforts by the Environmental Working Group to highlight what they say are hazardous cleaning products on a "Hall of Shame." EWG ignores the research and development efforts that go into ensuring the safety of cleaning products, manipulates scientific findings, and defies common sense, ACI said in statement.